Just hours after Nokia said claims about its demise had been exaggerated, the firm has unveiled its N1 tablet.

The device, which was teased on Twitter overnight, is a 7.9-inch Android tablet with 8MP rear-facing and 5MP front-facing cameras, 32GB storage and is set to cost $249 (£159) when it launches early next year.

Earlier this week, the president of Nokia Technologies said it would start licencing its brand to other manufacturers as well as launch its own range of new devices - and the N1 shows its already true to its word.

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The Nokia N1 is a 7.9-inch Android tablet that is set to launch in February in China. It has 8MP rear-facing and 5MP front-facing cameras, is 6.9mm thick and comes with 32GB of storage. It is expected to cost $249 (£159) - although prices may vary based on region

The firm posted the teaser tweet last night, that simply said 'Guess what? We're up to something', accompanied by an image of a black box.

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Speculation ranged from a TV set top box to take on the Apple TV and Amazon Fire, to a small computer.

NOKIA'S N1 SPECIFICATIONS

Display: 7.9-inch

Cameras: 8MP rear-facing and 5MP front-facing

Storage: 32GB

Price: $249 (£159) - although prices may vary by region

Thickness: 0.2-inches (6.9mm)

Operating system: Android Lollipop

Processor: 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580

RAM: 2GB

Colours: Natural Aluminium and Lava Grey

However, one thing it was never going to be was a mobile phone.

As part of a recent deal with Microsoft, Nokia is not allowed to use its branding on phones until 2017 - but that means after this date, Nokia phones could also be resurrected.

Inside the N1 is a 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor, with 2GB of RAM.

It is made from aluminium - in either 'Natural' or Lava Grey' - and weighs 0.7lbs (318g).

It is 0.2-inches (6.9mm) thick - thinner than Apple's 0.3-inches (7.5mm) iPad mini 3 - and will launch in time for the Chinese New Year in China next year.

Nokia will then release the device in Russia - but release dates in other regions have not been announced.

In terms of software, the N1 runs Android 5.0 Lollipop with Nokia's own Z Launcher.

The launcher monitors which apps users frequently open and 'adapts to them' by rearranging the app list accordingly.

It isn't reserved to the N1 though, and can be downloaded to other Android devices.

The N1 is 0.2-inches (6.9mm) thick - thinner than Apple's 0.3-inches (7.5mm) iPad mini 3 - and will launch in time for the Chinese New Year in China next year. Nokia will then release the device in Russia - but release dates in other regions have not been announced

Inside the N1 is a 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor, with 2GB of RAM. It is made from aluminium - in either 'Natural' or Lava Grey' - and weighs 0.7lbs (318g). Software wise, the N1 runs Android 5.0 Lollipop with Nokia's Z Launcher. The launcher monitors apps users open and rearranges the list accordingly

Following Microsoft's plans to ditch the brand across its smartphone range earlier this year, the Finnish firm said it would start licencing its name, expertise and technologies to other companies, starting this quarter.

Microsoft bought Nokia's phone business for £4.5bn ($7.2 bn) in April and announced it was dropping both the Nokia and Windows Phone brand names in October, in favour of just using Lumia.

But, the firm is continuing to trade as a separate company, focusing on mapping and network infrastructure.

The firm posted the teaser tweet last night, that simply said 'Guess what? We're up to something', accompanied by an image of a black box (pictured)

Microsoft bought Nokia's phone business for £4.5bn ($7.2 bn) in April and announced it was dropping both the Nokia and Windows Phone brand names in October, in favour of just using Lumia. As part of the deal, Nokia is not allowed to use its branding on smartphones until 2016, and on feature phones until 2024

As part of the deal, Nokia is not allowed to use its own branding on smartphones until 2016, and on feature phones until 2024.

The recent licencing plans were announced at the Nokia Capital Markets Day by president of Nokia Technologies, Ramzi Haidamus.

He said: 'It is our goal to start licensing our brand in areas other than these two restricted areas, starting this quarter actually, in the areas we can and the areas where the brand is relevant.'

It was a strategy used by Polaroid to bolster its failing brand over the past decade.

Polaroid licenses its polarising technology to flat-screen TVs, for example, and its camera technology to tablets.

NOKIA MAKES BREAKTHROUGH IN BOOSTING BATTERY LIFE

Nokia Networks recently made a significant breakthrough in boosting battery life on phones, by increasing capacity by up to 49 per cent.

The Finnish-based firm saw the results during its first live trial of a software known as High Speed Cell FACH on a 3G network.

Nokia Networks has completed its first live testing of High Speed Cell FACH technology, with support from chip manufacturer Qualcomm.

When using apps, phones send and receive small amounts of data, and Nokia's technology is designed to handle these so-called 'data packets' more efficiently.

Nokia Networks recently made a significant breakthrough in boosting battery life on phones, by increasing capacity by up to 49 per cent. The Finnish-based firm saw the results during its first live trial of a software known as High Speed Cell FACH on a 3G network

This increases browsing speeds, power savings and response times

When running applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as browsing the web, sending emails and using services such as FaceTime, phones often send and receive small amounts of data, known as packets, of just a few hundreds of bytes or a few kbytes.

High Speed Cell FACH is designed to handle these small data packets more efficiently than other software.

This makes apps run faster, and also means they use less energy over the course of a day, for example.

The technology additionally means operators can boost the speed and quality of their services, and support a higher number of phones on their networks.

According to the recent Nokia tests, the 3G software boosts speeds and network response times by up to 65 per cent, and leads to up to 20 per cent faster browsing.

Users also saw power savings of up to 49 per cent, which meant their battery life lasted almost twice as long - depending on which applications were being used.

The lowest power saving was nine per cent.

It also recently partnered with photography experts at C&A Marketing, which owns Ritz Camera stores and Calumet photography, to make Polaroid-branded cameras and accessories.

After the restrictions on smartphone branding lifts, however, Nokia would be able to brand devices made by other manufacturers.

These devices may also use technology being developed by Nokia's Network division.

After the restrictions on smartphone branding lifts, however, Nokia would be able to brand devices made by other manufacturers. Microsoft's recent move brought to an end nearly three decades of Nokia phones, which will likely elicit fond memories for many. The iconic Nokia 3310 from 2000 is pictured

The division recently boosted battery life on smartphones by 49 per cent, and the results were seen during its first live trial of a software known as High Speed Cell FACH on a 3G network.

The technology additionally means operators can boost the speed and quality of their services, and support a higher number of phones on their networks.

NOKIA ANNOUNCES NAME CHANGE

'Some of today's press reports related to rumours about Microsoft dropping the Nokia brand have declared the death of the Nokia brand,' said Barry French, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Affairs.

'But, to paraphrase Mark Twain, "reports of our death are an exaggeration."

'Yes, we have sold our mobile phone business to Microsoft. But the Nokia of today is financially robust and has moved from weakness to strength.

'We have one of the world's best telecom infrastructure businesses, a global leader in the mapping and location business, a stellar intellectual property portfolio and some of the finest innovation capabilities of any company anywhere.

'Remember, Nokia started almost 150 years ago with just one paper mill. Over time we have repeatedly and successfully reinvented ourselves.

'We may not be the same Nokia of several years ago, but we are here, we are strong, and our brand is very much still alive. Not to mention kicking!'

The recent name change by Microsoft brings an end to Nokia's brand being on mobile phones - a run that stretches back into the 1980s.

It was first hinted at when Microsoft moved Nokia.com to be hosted on Microsoft's own site.

Each country will gradually see branding changed from Nokia to Microsoft Lumia across various social media accounts, beginning with Nokia France.

Nokia phones will likely elicit fond memories for many, though, with the Nokia 3310 in particular being one of the defining phones at the dawn of the cell phone age.

First released towards the end of 2000, the phone went on to sell 126 million units world wide and continues to enjoy a cult status.

Nokia has been quick to assure customers that the company will live on, albeit no longer in the mobile phone business.

In a blog post in September Barry French, executive vice president of marketing and corporate affairs at Nokia said: 'To paraphrase Mark Twain, 'reports of our death are an exaggeration.'

'Yes, we have sold our mobile phone business to Microsoft.

'But the Nokia of today is financially robust and has moved from weakness to strength.

'We have one of the world's best telecom infrastructure businesses, a global leader in the mapping and location business, a stellar intellectual property portfolio and some of the finest innovation capabilities of any company anywhere.'

He continued: 'We may not be the same Nokia of several years ago, but we are here, we are strong, and our brand is very much still alive. Not to mention kicking!'